The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-11-25

When the deacon had the facts Of the
case stated to him, he laughed immoder-
ately. Mr.. Wilson spilled d little too.
Before this only the p%srpIexities OF the
situation had presen led themselves to
him.
Wall, Ill tell you what [ think, said
the deacon, when he could gethis breath;
'Ithink if the oldlady wants to set there
we'd better let her, till she gets sick oft.
She'll be glad enough to get out of it
In a few days. She'll be as safe there
as alone in her own house, and safer;
and it's hot weather, so there won't be
any trouble about her getting cold. I'll
speak to my wife, an thereu be some
hot victuals carried in, I'll warrant.
She can't come to any harm there that
/ can see. An nothin' else will pacify her
il she's got set about it'll know Aunt
Rhoda Carpenter. I'd have her come
right IN mere TINS minute, but notnIn
short of main force could bring her; IN,
there amt any mortal reason why she
shouldn't go to her own home, but if she
won't she won't. / know her. She amt
crazy, but II she sets ont to do a thing
she's goin' to carry it through. Motif the
O1O ltAl1 MOuNS W oCb III nCl pew Il blltAh&
we'd better let her and the deacon
laughed till the tears ran down his
cheeks.
So Aunt Rhoda was triumphant. She
sat in her pew the next week like q queen
on her throne. The news Of her queer
freak spread everywhere, and exited at
once mirth and compassion. She had
every attention. People brought her in
breakfasts and dinners and suppers.
She had her hot tea with every meal.
They brought her pillows and blankets
to turn her pew into a bed. The sexton
looked in every night, to see if every
thing was oil right, AK Aunt Rhoda was
really living very comfortably in her
pew.
But this could not last forever lit would
dofor a few days, but something differ
ent would have to be done soon. Peo-
pie wondered what. They hoped Aunt
Rhoda would soon abandon her whim,
and they would try and arrange matters
with her and provide for her in some
way.
There began to be a deal Of active
pity abroad for the poor old lady togeth-
er with the mirth which her conduct
excited. The next Sunday Mr.. Wilson
had q congregation such as he never
remembered before. Some Of the
surrounding towns had got wind of the
old lady in Camden who had taken to
living in her pew, and the church was
packed Beyond q placid old woman
in a cashmere shawl and q black straw
bonnet with purple roses, they saw
nothing. however. The carpet had
been tucked into an anteroom before
the service began, and all other traces
Of her habitation removed. When ten
days from the one of her taking up her
abode in the church had elapsed, and
Aunt Rhoda still showed no signs Of
getting tired of the situation, folks
began to feel uneasy. They
could not let an old lady live
in her church pew all summer, and
now they were actually aiding her in
her wild freak still, they could not let
her want comforts. That very night
there was a meeting appointed at Deat7
con Harris's to talk the matter over;
but in the six o'clock train there came q
couple ofstrangers to town, a pretty,
stylish lady, and q ~finelooking gentla-
man, who put q new aspect on the face
of affairs. They walked directly up to
Aunt Rhoda's house, which was q short
distance from the depot. When they
discovered that there was no one at
home, they made inquiries at the next
house. and Annie Carpenter Mather,
for it was she, was informed by the
good woman that she would probably
find her Aunt Rhoda sitting in her
church pew.
1t was quite a warm afternoon, and
Aunt Rhoda was DOING peacefully in
her pew, when her niece, in her pretty
brown silk travelling dress, ran hastily
up the aisle, a tall, smiling gentleman
following her.
Aunt Rhoda woke up OF the first kiss,
and looked with no apparent surprise
at the pretty, blooming face so nea
hers.
81 knew the Lord would send You,
Annie Carpenter Mather,n said she.
well, 4 guess he has, %auntie," her
niece answered, half laughing and half
crying at the same time.
Well, Aunt Rhoda's troubles were
over then, Of course. Tho old house
was secured to her again, andtshe lived
there peacefully with her beloved Annie
Carpenter Mather for a number Of years.
But the story Of her ten-days' soiourn
in her church pew became one of the
town legends Of Camden.